Window sash



p 24, 1946- 4.0. WlLKlN 2,408,281

WINDOW SASH F iled June 14', 1944 m a l 2//////E f 1 20 2* I I EZNVENTOR.

Patented Sept. 24, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE] James Gerow Wilkin,New Hurley, N. Y. Application June 14, 1944, Serial No. 540,352

It is a matter of common knowledge that when it is desired to clean awindow pane, considerable difliculty is experienced in wiping close tothe mullions. The foregoing difficulty having been appreciated, thepresent invention aims to provide mullion structures which are removablereading from the sash, the sash enclosing a single pane which, after theremoval of the mullions, may be cleaned readily.

It happens, moveover, that occasionally it is desired to change themullion pattern of a Window, and thepresent invention aims to supply anovel means whereby a mullion of one pattern may be substituted for amullion of another pattern.

A further object of the invention is to supply a flexible mullion which,on account of its flexibility, may be mounted readily on a window sashand with equal facility be removed therefrom.

Within the scope of what is claimed, the structure described and shownmay be changed, without departing from thespirit of the invention.

In the accompanying rawin Fig. 1 shows, in front elevation, a windowsash equipped with the device forming the subject matter of thisapplication;

Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section on the line,

22 of Fig. 1, parts being broken away;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section taken through one of the seats;

Fig. '4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an elevation showing a portion of the mullion structure,including one construction by which the mullion structure is madeflexible;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view showing the mullion structure partiallyfolded, to permit the assembly thereof with the frame;

Fig. 7 is a sectional View looking toward one of the seats which receivethe mullion-ends;

Fig. 8 is a section on the line 88 of Fig. '7;

Fig. 9 is an elevation similar to Fig. 5, but disclosing a modifiedstructure wherein flexibility in the mullion structure if obtained bymeans other than that disclosed in Fig. 5.

Fig. 10 is a sectional view taken through a portion of the sash and aportion of the pane.

In carrying out the invention there is provided,- in the buildingmaterial art, a sash S, comprising a frame I. In its inner edge, theframe I is supplied with a continuousrecess 2, wherein the marginalportion of .a pane 3, of glass or the like, is held by putty 2a, orequivalent means.

At spaced distances, the inner portion of the frame I is provided withoutwardly tapering seats 4. Preferably a single pane 3' is employed, the

4 Claims. (Cl. 20-563) metal or other suitable material.

pane occupying the entire area bounded by the frame I, r

In each seat 4 is disposed a grip G, made of The grip G comprises aU-shaped shank 5, the constituent parts of which are in contact. Theshank- 5 bears at its outer end against the frame I, as shown in Fig. 3,at the base of the seat 4. portions of the shank 5 are spaced as shownat 6, the side portions being resilient and terminating in laterallyextended, resilient loops I.

Mullion structures are disposed on opposite sides of the pane 3 andextend across the pane.

'Ihe mullion structures may be made in various ways, without departingfrom the spirit of the invention. Preferably, but not of necessity, eachmullion structure includes a horizontal rail 8, including a long part 9and a short part II], disposed in alinement. The inner ends of the parts9 and ll) of the horizontal rail 8 abut along a line indicated by thereference character I! in Fig. 5.

Each mullion structure includes a vertical rail I2, comprising parts I4disposed on opposite sides of the horizontal rail 8. The abutment lineIi between the parts 9 and I0 of the rail 8 coincides wtih onelongitudinal edge of the vertical rail I2. A resilient strip I5, made ofmetal or other suitable material, connects the parts I4 of the verticalrail I2, and extends across the member 9 of the horizontal rail 8, thestrip I5 being secured at I6 to the rail parts I4. A similar strip I1extends across the strip I5, at right angles thereto, and is secured atI8 to the members 9 and It of the horizontal rail 8.

From the foregoing, it will be noted that the rails 8 and I2 areflexible, the flexibility being secured by means of the strips I5 andIT. The strips I5 and I1 are let into the rails, so that the railspresent a smooth inner edge to the glass pane 3.

Another vertical rail I 5 may be provided, as shown in Fig. 1, this railcomprising parts disposed on opposite sides of the member 9 of thehorizontal rail 8, the constituent portions of the vertical rail I9being connected by a hinge strip like the hinge strip I5 of Fig. 5, thehinge strip I1 being omitted. In general, the constituent parts thehorizontal and vertical rails may be made in various ways, it beingnecessary, merely, that there bea sufl'icient number of hinges so thatthe mullion structures are flexible.

The rails of the mullion structures terminate in fingers 20, shaped tobe received in the seats 4. The fingers 20 are somewhat narrower thanThe side the mullion rails proper and, therefore, there are formed atthe ends of the mullion rails proper, on opposite sides of the fingers,transverse shoulders 2| and 22, the shoulder 22 being disposed adjacentto the pane 3, and the shoulder 2| being disposed atthe outer surface ofthe mullion rail. About the fingers 20 are disposed compressible gaskets23, and the shoulders 2| and 22 press the gaskets against the inner edgeof the frame I and make watertight joints. This construction preferablyis carried out in connection with the outer mullion structure only.

In the inner surfaces of the fingers 29, recesses 24 are formed. Therecesses 24 are shaped to receive the resilient loops 1 of the grips G.The recesses 24 and the loops 1 constitute releasably interengagedelements on the fingers 2i] and on the grips G, respectively.

To position the mullions, the grip G at one end of the mullion to bepositioned, is placed within the seat 4 and the fingers 20 at one end ofthe mullion, are positioned Within the recess. The fingers are forcedagainst the loops 1 of the grips, the loops 1 moving into the recesses25 of the fingers. The opposite end of the mullion is now positioned ina similar manner, with the, result that the mullion is secured againstflexing and consequently, held in place, under normal conditions.

As shown in Fig. 6, each mullion structure may be molded at the hingesl5 and ll, so that the fingers 20 can be withdrawn from the seats 4.This enables both mullion structures to be removed, facilitating acleaning of the pane 3,

there being no obstructing mullions in the path of the cloth or otherdevice used to clean the pane.

It is not necessary that the mullions be provided with hinge stripsIii-ll. Thus in Fig. 9, the mullions 3B are of one-piece construction,and are made of material which has inherent resiliency.

If the operator desires to change the mullion pattern, the mullionstructures shown in Fig. 1 may be removed and be replaced by mullionstructures of a different design, the seats 4 providing for such anoperation. Referring to Figs. 7 and 8, the seats 4 which are notoccupied by the fingers 2a of the mullion rails may be closed by plugs26, havin side recesses 2'! for the reception of the loops 1 of thegrips G, the plugs terminating in laterally extended heads 28,compressible gaskets 29 being interposed between the heads 28 and theframe I to prevent leakage into the seats 4.

The device, in either of its forms, is simple in construction, but willbe found thoroughly advantageous to carry out the operations describedin the opening portion of this specification, and elsewhere therein.

What is claimed is:

l. A Window sash comprising a frame, a pane carried by the frame, saidframe having cut-out portions formed in the inner edges thereof,providing seats, a mullion including rails, fingers formed at the endsof the rails and adapted to be fitted within the seats, and membersmounted within the seats adapted to grip the fingers positioned withinthe seats, holding the fingers and mullion against displacement.

2. A window sash comprising a frame, a pane carried by the frame, saidframe having cut-out portions formed in the inner edges thereof,providing seats, a mullion including rails, fingers formed at the endsof the rails adapted to be fitted within the seats, said fingers havingrecesses formed therein, yieldable gripping members positioned withinthe seats and extending into the recesses of the fingers, securin thefingers and rails against displacement.

3. A window sash comprising a frame, a. pane carried by the frame, saidframe having cut-out portions formed in the inner edges thereof, thecut-out portions extending along the edge of the pane, mullionspositioned on opposite sides of the pane and embodying rails, fingers onthe free ends of the rails adapted to fit in the cut-out portions of theframe, said fingers having recesses, and gripping members having curvedarms adapted to fit within the recesses of the fingers, frictionallyengaging the fingers and normally holding the mullions againstdisplacement.

4. A Window sash comprising a frame, a pane carried by the frame, saidframe having cut-out portions formed in the inner edges thereofproviding seats, a mullion including hingedly connected rail sections,the ends of the rail sections adapted to extend into the cut-outportions of the frame, and means within the cut-out portions adapted toengage the ends of the rails securing the mullions in position againstaccidental displacement.

JAMES GEROW WILKIN.

